I
agree with this in principle, but this is not enough.
"San"
was clearly a vowel change, as ISBE noted, in the name of "Sin." Sin
was the god of Sinai and was worshipped there by a tribe of Arabs well after the
day of Christ. This was a male moon god, which is rare, the goddess being the
moon deity about 95% of the time in the Middle Eastern pantheon.
The
ISBE note of "give him life" does not finish the thought. It is the
goddess which is seen as giving life in ALL the pantheon from Sumer on down to
the time of Christ. The goddess ending was ILAT, the feminine form of ILAH. The
ILAH form came through about 3500 years into the god name ALLAH of Islam, and
the ILAT feminine evolved into ALLAT, the goddess of Taif in Muhammed's day. Allat
was the goddess gender complement of ALLAH. So, the life giver was ALLAT, and
it is more accurate to read the meaning of Sanballat as, "May Sin give him
the life of the goddess."
Sanballat
seems to have received from the Persian government some authority over the Samaritans
and imported Cuthites, as one of the governors west of the Euphrates. When Nehemiah
came from Shushan to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:10 and 19) circa 454 BC, and began
to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Sanaballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab taunted
him. These three sent to inquire on what authority Nehimiah undertook this enterprise,
and whether it were not a revolt against the king.
A
brief history of the ancestries of these men further highlights the animosity
between them and Israel. Both the Moabites and Ammonites were distant relatives
of the Jews, having originated from the incestuous relationship between Lot and
his daughters (Gen. 19:36-38). God had given them a land-inheritance on the eastern
side of Jordan and instructed the Israelites not to harass them (Deut. 2:9, 19).
Because they were inhospitable toward Israel and hired Balaam to curse God's people,
it was written in the Law that no Ammonite or Moabite was to be admitted into
the assembly of the Lord (Neh. 13:1-2; Deut. 23:3-4).
The
Samaritans were also antagonistic toward the Jews. When the nation of Israel was
divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom was based in Samaria (I Kings
16:29). Assyria deposed the northern kingdom and repopulated Samaria with pagans
from other nations (II Kings 17:24). During Zerubbabel's leadership of rebuilding
the temple, the Samaritans were refused participation and then sought to hinder
the work (Ezra 4:1-5).
Bethhoron,
Sanballat's home area, was a town in Moab. Tobiah, the confederate of Sanballat,
had married a Hebrew woman, and later he was given quarters within Jerusalem.
Sanballat's daughter became the wife of one of the sons of Joiada, a son of the
high priest, and Nehemiah had a continuing controversy with these intruders (Nehemiah
13:28).
Tobiah
and Sanballat hired a false prophet to tempt Nehemiah into sin and to compromise
his reputation. To flee into God's sanctuary would have been a violation of the
Law (Num. 18:7; II Chron. 26:16-21) and a poor example for the rest of Israel.
But Nehemiah was a man of integrity and conviction. "Should such a man as I flee?"
(6:11). He knew this prophet's message could not have come from Jehovah. He prayed
and turned his troubles over to the Lord (6:14).
Tobiah
was in alliance with the nobles of Judah, and he used his ties to create dissension
in the ranks. When the devil could not deter the efforts of the early church with
external persecution (Acts 4:17-21; 5:17-33), he turned to internal strife (Acts
6:1). In like manner, Tobiah was able to make such inroads into the heart of Israel's
spiritual life because his wife and daughter-in-law were Israelites.
How
interesting that the "Mother of God" temple of ancient Roman Papal paganism
would end up sitting on the very spot where Sanballat, the one who was given life
by the goddess Allat, built his ecumenical temple.
We
have all heard of the Samaritans, but few know who they are. In fact, there are
today 600 of them still alive, split between Mt. Gerizim and the city of Holon,
south of Tel Aviv. The Five Books of Moses are holy to them (though their version
varies slightly from that of the Jews), but not the Prophets or Writings, and
their practices are in many ways similar to those of Jews. Samaritan scriptures
are very close to the Hebrew, but names and places were changed long ago so that
the covenants and blessing to Israel are made to be to the Samaritans instead.
So, their scriptures are counterfeit and worthless.
Let
us run down a bit of a rabbit trail here. When the modern legalizers grab the
Old Testament Covenants, Feasts, and Mosaic laws and try to superimpose them on
the Lord's Church, the Church "Free from the law, O blessed condition,"
what are they doing? Are they not blaspheming the work of Jesus Christ who paid
the price, answered the "school master," and sent us on our way into
Christian Liberty? We must call modern legalism and Phariseeism what it is-- the
concision-- mutilators-- a botched circumcision-- a mongrel counterfeit Bride--
indeed, a Whore! The garments of Phariseeism are filthy, not white robes of righteousness
cleansed by the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. And, to add empirical
proof to my contention, I note that there is no hate more vicious and hateful
than modern Pharisee hate for Bible believers who do not agree with them. Heresy
is fragile-- the truth stands firm but walks on when it meets the heretic. We
have no need to threaten-- hell is hot enough already. More on this later.
Samaritan
tradition says their people were the tribes of Ephraim and Menassah, who stayed
behind in the Land of Israel when the other eight tribes of the northern kingdom
were exiled to Assyria around 720 BC. Many events that Jews associate with Jerusalem,
Samaritans connect to Mt. Gerizim. They believe that it is the real Moriah, where
Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac. They say that Joshua built the first Tabernacle
on the hill and that the split with the Jews began when two priestly brothers
built an counterfeit Tabernacle at Shiloh.
Nothing
epitomizes the difference between the Samaritan religion and that of the Jews
better than the rivalry between the shrines at Mt. Moriah and Mt. Gerizim (see
photo, which is used by permission), itself the continuation of a more ancient
rivalry between Jerusalem and Shechem. Just as the Jews face the Temple Mount
of Jerusalem in prayer, so the Samaritans face the site of their destroyed Temple
at Mt. Gerizim. Even without their temple standing, the Samaritans have, until
the present, continued to make pilgrimages to Mt. Gerizim during the three pilgrimage
festivals of the liturgical year (Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot), and to hold most
of their public ceremonies there during the rest of the year.
Samaritans
believe that when the Messiah comes, he will reveal the location of the cave where
the worship vessels used in the tabernacle have been hidden, though the Samaritans
do not claim their temple will be rebuilt. Today, Gerizim is in the heart of what
will be the future Palestinian state if an agreement is ever reached. Islam claims
that Abraham set out on Mount Gerizim to offer Ishmael in sacrifice, and Allah
stopped him and gave another sacrifice. So, soon Islam may have the final fruit
of Sanballat, blessed of Allat the goddess, and taken over at the end of the age
by Allah, Allat's consort.
SEE
SAMARITANS AT A RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL ON MOUNT GERIZIM IN 1930
You
must read this account of a modern Samaritan Passover.
Ironically,
the modern day Samaritans have a more genuine passover than the Israelis. Even
more ironically, the modern day Samaritans can stand on their own alleged temple
mount, Gerizim, on the very spot where their temple stood long ago, while the
Israelis cannot do any ceremony on their temple mount. They do not even know for
sure where the temple stood.
At
the end of the Church Age, the Age of Grace, the law has been institutionalized
again. This is being done by all Law Keepers, Sabbatarians, Hebrew Roots, and
the most Fundamental, Baptist, King James Only people today. This is just as counterfeit
as the first Ecumenical Law Keeping movement of Sanballat as he appended the cults
of the Middle East to Elohim in his great temple on the mountain.
People
from Baptist, Pentecostal, Holiness, and many other alleged Christian backgrounds,
are coming into small groups and keeping the law. They may meet on the Sabbath,
and keep the Passover, they do the feasts and holy days, they blow the shofar,
they use Hebrew names for God, and many other such legal Pharisaical devices.
I say Pharisaical because Jesus accused the Pharisees in his day of adding the
traditions of man to the Law of Moses. It is now a wicked thing to add the Law
of Moses to the Apostolic teachings for the Church, when Moses' Law was meant
to be only a "schoolmaster" according to Paul.
Galatians
3:24 (KJV) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that
we might be justified by faith.
The
keeping of the Law went up to mount Calvary on the back of Jesus Christ and was
nailed to the cross and left there. Shame on all who would pull that law down
off the cross and lay it on the back of the Lord's precious sheep.
They,
like the Samaritans, have a higher order of religion than Judaism today. But,
by Apostolic standards, their religion is as mongrelized as the Samaritans. How
very peculiar that Phariseeism is still with us today.
So,
can modern Phariseeism simply be a novel twist on true Christianity? Is it not
merely an innocent feeling-oriented invention which is really more audio visual
aid than heresy?
Do
we really need to consider Phariseeism to be a cult?
What
did the New Testament writers say about a Hebrewizing of the Gospel and the Lord's
Church?
Acts
13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and
went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the
reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them,
saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people,
say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel,
and ye that fear God, give audience.
After
this introduction, Paul reviewed the work of Jehovah with the leaders of this
synagogue. Here is the conclusion of Paul's speech there:
Acts
13:41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your
days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
So,
Paul had no hope for these people. The synagogue, after the death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ, became a place of rebellion and unbelief. Thus it is with the
modern Phariseeism in any local church. They refuse to live by Grace alone. They
lust for Law.
Acts
13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the
word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with
envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting
and blaspheming.
And
the modern Pharisees will speak boldly in mockery of anyone who deifies their
journey from Grace back to Ghehennah via Law.
Acts
17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain
lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on
an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the
people.
Rough
bunch, these Pharisees.
Revelation
2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first
and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation,
and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they
are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Revelation
3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he
that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth,
and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8 I know thy works:
behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou
hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and
are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet,
and to know that I have loved thee.
Anyone
who makes a cult of Moses' Law-- a mongrel hybrid of the Church and the Law, will
one day worship at the feet of those who refused this system of deceit. This implies
that "Christian" Pharisees, if they really believe they must keep the
Law, will go to hell for it.
Revelation
3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from
the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that
dwell upon the earth.
So,
modern Pharisees in the Church will NOT be kept from the hour of temptation, the
Great Tribulation. They, as lost rebels, will go THROUGH the Great Tribulation.
This is a serious consideration.
Who
are the children of Abraham? Those who keep the Law of Moses? Read:
Galatians
3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among
you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works
of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun
in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so
many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth
to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of
the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it
was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which
are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto
Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which
be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the
works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident:
for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The
man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the
curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every
one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on
the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith.
So,
the children of Abraham are those who walk by "sola fide," as Martin
Luther penned it. Faith is the ONLY foundation and basis of salvation and worship
in the Age of the Church, the Age of Grace. It is absolutely impossible to mix
them.
My
son, Mike, worked with a number of Messianic Christians (oil and water). They
were very savvy about the Messianic prophecies and at keeping the feast days and
the law. But, their speech was exceedingly filthy. The "f" word and
"s" work rolled with ease off of their tongues. You see, they had the
law, but they were not born again by faith in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews
11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
him.
Matthew
23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their
phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost
rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in
the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
They
use Hebrew names for God, they greet as if these blond haired Anglos were Jewish,
and they even call their alleged pastors "rabbi." They don't have a
clue that they are reverting to the very thing Jesus hated in the nation of Israel.
Romans
3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by
the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not
also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God,
which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish
the law.
The
only law we live by is the law of faith. The Law of Moses is not the saving, nor
the preserving, work of Grace. The Blood of Jesus is the working force of Grace.
So, to resort to Law is to deny the power of the Blood of Jesus to save AND to
keep the saint saved.
Romans
9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works
of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33 As it is written,
Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth
on him shall not be ashamed.
Galatians
2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified
by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the
law shall no flesh be justified.
17 But if, while we seek to be justified
by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister
of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed,
I make myself a transgressor.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law,
that I might live unto God.
So,
modern Pharisees, whether in the World Wide Church of God, the Seventh Day Adventists,
or the most Fundamental "Bible believing" church, by returning to Law
keeping, have damned themselves to hell, for they are once again made sinners.
Why? Answer: No one has ever kept the law to be saved. It is urgent to understand
that the title Baptist, Pentecostal, or any other Bible based title has no bearing
on your eternal destiny, IF you have piled a load of Law on top of your alleged
faith.
Hebrews
10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful
looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who
hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit
of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me,
I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
And
so, the modern Pharisees have trodden under foot the Blood of Jesus Christ. They
have rejected Grace and come back under condemnation, the "beggarly elements,"
for the Law did NOTHING but condemn every sinner who tried to keep it. These rebels
have fallen into the hands of the living God, and their damnation slumbereth not.
If
you are foisting Law, whether of Moses, your denomination, your scholar's union,
or your brand of Christianity.... you are on your way to hell. You were never
born again, for a true Bible believer would NEVER have any instinct or hunger
for law after being liberated by Christ and living in Grace. You need to repent
of mocking the Blood and love of Jesus Christ for you, and you need to reject
the heresy.
Romans
10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on
him shall not be ashamed.
Your
rebellion against the Grace of Jesus Christ, and your rejection of those who walk
in Grace alone, will bring you eternal shame in hell.
Is
not this lust for Old Testament ritual and law demonic? I believe many modern
Pharisees, and especially their leaders, are possessed of devils. This would explain
why they are filled with so much hate and vengeance for those who have found the
liberty which is in Christ Jesus.
Come
out of her my people.
